Faster than Fate
by sweetserendipityxo
Summary: Oliver's footsteps pounded against the pavement as he ran towards the speeding car that held Felicity captive. A short story in the realm of season 4. Oliver and Felicity's lives have started together, but their happiness is threatened by evil forces from the past. Will they overcome this newest obstacle?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the show Arrow. I only use them and their remarkable relationships as inspiration. Enjoy! :)

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It was raining. Gunshots rang through the air. The sound of Oliver's footsteps pounded against the pavement. Despite the chaos around him, all he could currently see was the Porsche speeding dangerously fast towards the edge of the pier—the Porsche that contained his Felicity.

When he arrived on the docks, the situation had escalated beyond his control and the only thing he could focus on was the man holding a weary Felicity in his grip. Her eyes found his immediately, just like they always have. Those beautiful green orbs held so many emotions, it pained Oliver to the core—fear, despair, regret, sadness, love, and defeat. It was this last emotion that Oliver refused to accept. They had finally found their way to each other, despite all the odds against them. There was no way he was going to let this monster of a man steal that from them. As if the man could hear Oliver's thoughts, he noticed him and sprang into action—calling all of his men's attention to the intruder on their business deal. Oliver was ready for this and began taking down each opponent one at a time with his bow. In hindsight, Oliver should have waited for Diggle and Speedy's backup, but there was no time to waste when it came to Felicity. As he was firing a bow precisely into a body guard's thigh, another one grabbed him from behind, pulling him into an iron-clad headlock.

"No, Oliver!" Felicity screeched. Through his blurry eyes Oliver watched as Felicity tried with all her might to loosen herself from her captor's grasp. She dug her heel into the top of the man's foot and shoved her elbow into his face. Despite Oliver's current struggle, he felt a surge of pride for the strength Felicity possessed. However, it was not enough to escape. A deafening shot rang out through the night and Felicity instantly dropped to her knees. Oliver saw red. He conjured enough strength to flip the man holding him over his back and onto his face on the pavement. He instantly turned to wear he saw Felicity fall, and once again found her in the grasp of the nemesis; only this time, there was a gun shoved into her left temple.

"Make one wrong move and the next bullet won't go into just her leg," the man snarled.

"How can you threaten her? Does she really mean that little to you?" Oliver inquired in shock.

The man smirked and replied, "You know that my line of work requires me to not feel the burdening emotions of a man. I have worked too hard to get my revenge. I will not let either of you stand in my way."

Oliver saw the desperation in the man's eyes. This made him dangerous and Oliver didn't want Felicity to be anywhere near him when he decided to make a move. He took note of her appearance—there was blood trickling down her leg from the fresh bullet wound in her thigh, a bruise was forming on her left cheek bone, and her glasses were broken. She was fading fast and Oliver needed to get her to a hospital.

"You have nowhere to run. Amanda Waller and all of A.R.G.U.S. have been made aware of your plans and in three minutes they will have this place surrounded. It's over; you will be going away for a long time. There's no need to bring her down with you," Oliver tried to reason with him.

The man looked wildly around, as if he felt the world slowly closing in on him. He shoved the gun further into Felicity's temple and she whimpered.

"On the contrary, Mr. Queen, if my life is to be taken away from me, then I shall take your life away from you."

The next events unfolded in a matter of seconds. The man began to drag Felicity to the Porsche that had been sitting behind them on the docks. As Oliver ran towards them without hesitation, the man shot off rounds to keep him from getting close enough to save Felicity. Over the gunshots, Oliver heard Felicity's voice ring out crystal clear,

"I love you, Oliver!" And then she was gone—shoved into the passenger seat out of his view. He sent arrow after arrow flying into the direction of the man he grew to hate most in this world. Arrow clashed with bullet, until one arrow stuck into the man's shoulder. He faulted only for a second before climbing into the driver's seat and peeling out of the open factory onto the docks.

As Oliver sprinted after the car, the sound of two choppers filled his ears. They had the docks surrounded and were shouting for all the Glades to hear,

"Damien Dark—we have you surrounded. Pull over the car and put your hands in the air."

Oliver cursed at their timing. There was no way for them to know that Felicity was in the car and they were dealing with a desperate man. Even if they were aware of the damsel-in-distress, Amanda Waller was not one to sympathize with hostages or let them stand in her way. There was nowhere for Damien to drive on the docks; perhaps, they had won.

Suddenly, without any warning, the car made a sharp turn onto the east pier, showing no signs of slowing down.

Oliver's heart dropped. Damien Dark was not going to be taken prisoner; he would rather go down in a blaze of glory than be trapped and put behind bars. The realization hit Oliver like a freight-train—Dark was going to drive the Porsche off the pier right into the bay. Felicity would be engulfed in frigid waters and trapped in a metal heap. He could not let that happen.

He ran faster than he ever had in his life:

Faster than when he was running from the dangers on Lian Yu.

Faster than he ran through the streets of Hong Kong to evade certain death.

Faster than he ran through Starling City to avoid capture by Captain Lance.

Faster than whatever dark fate that would unfold if he failed.

He was running towards Felicity.

Towards his best friend.

His partner.

His biggest fan.

His lover.

His soulmate.

And just recently, his fiancée.

He ran until his lungs felt like they would collapse and his legs felt like they would certainly give out.

He ran even when the Porsche flew off the edge of the pier and disappeared below the surface.

And then he was flying—diving off the pier into the icy waters to save the love of his life. Everything in him burned with determination and the hope, more like a prayer, that he wouldn't be too late.

He couldn't be.

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What do you think? Please review! I was thinking of making this story 4-5 chapters depending on the feedback :)


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy the Olicity goodness in this chapter!

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48 hours earlier…

"Oliver! What in the world are we doing?"

Felicity's heels clicked on the cement floor as Oliver led her blindfolded to an unknown location. He had surprised her at the office and all but kidnapped her—blindfolding her and putting her in their Porsche before speeding away.

He sighed, "I already told you…it's a surprise."

Felicity rolled her eyes, which she realized how pointless that was considering the blindfold.

"You know as much as I love random dates and surprises to mysterious locations with you, I'm not sure now is the best time. I mean I was at the office all day trying to deal with the new investors, while also running multiple algorithms to try and find my once deadbeat father aka evil of darkness who happened to be Ra's A Ghul's nemesis…well, old nemesis since he's dead, but now there's a new Ra's," Felicity stopped for a second to ponder, "never realized how confusing that is. Anyways, the point is, there are so many things for us to being doing right now, and we can't just leave Dig and Thea to deal with all of this because…"

"Hey," Oliver abruptly stopped them and placed himself in front of her, hands on her shoulders, "Take a breath and relax please."

He waited until she obeyed.

"There, much better. Now Felicity, I promise you that all the problems that we temporarily left will be there when we are finished here okay?"

Felicity pouted, "I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring all of the stress into, well, whatever this is. I just feel bad that my family drama has taken away our relaxing time together. I mean seriously, between the two of our families we could have made a soap opera."

Oliver chuckled and led her a little further before whispering into her ear,

"Do you trust me?"

His proximity made her shiver just like it always did.

"Do you think I would have let you blindfold me if I didn't?" She countered.

With that, he swept her up into his arms in one swift motion.

"Well, I could get used to this," Felicity whispered as she nestled into the crook of his neck.

From what she could tell, they had entered through a door and were starting to descend down a few stairs. The more Felicity paid attention to their surroundings, the more familiar their location became. She would know these stairs anywhere—the creak the third and fourth ones made, and the metal rhythm only Oliver created when he descended them. She couldn't remember how many times she had stared at those stairs waiting for Oliver to come down them after each mission, especially when he had left to face Ra's on the mountain. Felicity became so lost in her thoughts she barely registered Oliver putting her down again on solid ground.

"Well, we're here," Oliver slowly removed the blindfold from Felicity's eyes.

Felicity gasped. The foundry was covered in candles. Oliver must have cleaned the place up since the last time she was there because the debris created by the S.C.P.D. was gone. All that was left was her chair, the salmon ladder, and the glowing sparkling lights everywhere she looked.

"Oliver, it's so beautiful. When? How did you do all of this?"

Oliver gave her a small, proud smile, "Today while you were at work. When I told you that one of the investors was lost in the city and that I would go meet him, I met him for a brief lunch and then came here. Speedy helped too."

"I'll be sure to tell her you gave the little sis some credit," They both laughed. "Oliver, are we even allowed to be in here?"

Oliver took her hand and walked them further into the room until they were in the center, between the ladder and her chair.

"Probably not…which is why I should probably get started," Oliver rubbed his fingers together nervously.

Felicity looked at him with confused eyes, "Started with what?"

Oliver took a few steps away from her and took a deep breath.

"You know I'm not very good at saying how I feel or making speeches, so promise to bear with me?" He pleaded with his puppy eyes and small smile.

Felicity smiled and nodded. She had no idea what was happening.

"When I first came back to town, Diggle told me that even though I might not need someone to save me, I still needed someone all the same. This someone wouldn't just be anyone, but it would be the person who was already the right fit for me. Now at the time, I didn't give much thought to his words because I was so consumed by my mission. But now, looking back on everything since that day, I can admit that Diggle had never been more right about anything. I needed someone who could understand me and fit into my life…and I would have never guessed that I would find that someone right here," Oliver raised his arms to the room and smiled at Felicity.

"Now I know we didn't meet here, but I feel like this foundry was where we really found each other. So many moments, so many memories happened here. At the time I didn't realize what was happening, but now I can look back and tell you every single moment that you claimed a small piece of me, of my soul. All of the small things—every glance, every innuendo you made by accident, every intelligent ramble you had, every time you bandaged me, every time you stood up to me and told me what was right, and every supportive smile or touch you gave me—all of these things built us into who we are now, and has made me so deeply, and completely in love with you," Oliver paused and took a step towards Felicity, who had been utterly speechless with a loving smile plastered on her face.

"There was one moment in particular when I realized that you had become a part of me. Barry was here, and he told me that I wouldn't have survived everything that I've been through, or become a hero…if I didn't have a light inside of me. I realized that you are that light Felicity. I wouldn't have become the man I am today without you. Every time that I thought a piece of me was lost to the darkness, you came and reminded me that there was always another way, and that I could be a man that you believed in. "

Felicity had a few tears falling down her cheeks now, and Oliver closed the distance between them and held her hands in his.

"You helped me discover who I am now. I am someone who finally isn't afraid of being happy. In the couple months we shared together away from Starling, I caught a glimpse of what a future with you could be like, and I have thought about doing this every moment since then. I know that right now is crazy and like you said, both of our families have caused us pain…which is why I want to be your family. I want us to start our lives together and give the Smoak and Queen legacy a new, hopeful future."

Oliver led Felicity to her chair and gestured for her to sit down. He then pulled out a box from his pocket and got down on one knee in front of her. Felicity covered her gasp with one of her hands.

"I told you once that you would always be my girl, Felicity. Well, I want to make that into a promise. So, Felicity Meghan Smoak, will you do me the greatest honor, and always be my girl, my everything, and marry me?" Oliver opened the box to reveal a gorgeous, oval diamond ring.

For the first time in Felicity's life, she was speechless. Never in a million years would she have thought that the rich CEO of Queen Consolidated who visited her in the IT department to fix his laptop would be proposing to her. He had become her whole world, and she loved him more than she thought was humanly possible-which is why her answer required no hesitation.

"Yes! Yes, of course I will marry you, Oliver Queen!" She squealed with excitement.

Oliver gave her the biggest smile she had ever seen from him and slid the ring on her slender finger—it was a perfect fit.

"Oh my god, that is a rock!" Felicity mentally kicked herself, "It's gorgeous, Oliver!"

Oliver just looked at her adoringly, took her face in his hands, and kissed her passionately. He finally got the girl—he would have to tell Barry later that he had been wrong. They stayed in each other's embrace for a long while, relishing in their new bliss, and promise of a future together. Finally, Oliver pulled away and rested his forehead on hers.

"I do have one more surprise for you."

Felicity pulled back in shock, "What else could you possibly surprise me with? This is everything I wanted."

He smiled sheepishly, "Well when I asked your mom for permission, she insisted that…"

"Wait. You asked my mom for permission?" Felicity exclaimed.

"Of course I did. She raised you and it was the right thing to do. Felicity, I want to everything about this the right way." Oliver explained.

Felicity beamed and went in for another quick kiss.

Oliver happily obliged and then tried again, "Anyways, after I asked her she insisted that she throw an engagement party for us right after I asked you. She was under the impression that there was no way you would say no to me and if you did, well, I'll let her tell you what she said she would do to you," He chuckled.

"Oh God, I can only imagine," Felicity inwardly cringed. "So, this party…is that our next destination?"

Oliver grabbed her hand and they slowly walked to the stairs.

"Yes it is. Unless you want to make a short stop at our place to freshen up, and do…other things," He winked at her.

Felicity giggled, "Oh, I like the way you think Mr. Queen."

They walked out of Verdant hand in hand, both beaming with love for each other. Oliver opened the passenger door of the Porsche for Felicity, and she climbed in. She cupped his face with her gentle hands and kissed him before he closed the door.

"I love you so much," She whispered.

Oliver smiled and kissed her forehead. He closed the door and turned around to make his way to his side of the car when he was suddenly struck in the head by a hard object. He fell to the ground and looked around in a panic, unable to see his attacker due to the black dots currently clouding his vision. He could hear Felicity screaming his name until he heard a thud and then there was silence. Oliver yelled for her and tried his best to regain his balance, but the sound of another car door slamming was followed by the distinct sound of the Porsche speeding away.

"Felicity!" Oliver bellowed, as his happiness was taken from him as fast as it had come.

* * *

Felicity was underwater and freezing—that was all her brain could process. She looked around, her vision blurry from losing her glasses in the murky water. The impact of the Porsche hitting the water must have incapacitated her to some extent because her motor and mental skills were unbearably slow. She saw her father to her left, struggling to break the window beside him. Felicity looked around the car in a panic, realizing that she should find a way to escape, but could not find the means to do anything. She then caught a glimmer of light in the water in front of her. It was her engagement ring. Felicity stared at the sparkling oval, recognizing how beautiful it looked even underwater. Two days ago she had agreed to begin her life with the man she loved, and now she was stuck in a car drowning. Why was fate so against the two of them being happy? She thought of Oliver—his smile, his memorizing blue eyes, his reassuring voice. All she wanted was to be with him in this moment, but she feared she would never see him again. Her mind began slowly fading away, and then there was darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it took me so long to update! I was on vacation. Thank you to everyone who has showed interest in this story! Please enjoy & reviews are welcome :)

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Oliver swam through the murky waters as fast as he could. Swimming was never one of his strong suits and he remembered a few times when he told people how much he despised it. However, none of that mattered now. He caught glimpse of the Porsche which had sunk incredibly fast due to the rising water from the storm. When he reached the car, he immediately swam to the passenger side to check on Felicity—her eyes were closing and he could tell she would not last much longer. Oliver banged on the window with all his might. This action jolted Felicity awake more and she looked to the window to find the source of the noise. When her eyes found Oliver's, a smile instantly grew on her lips. She placed her hands on the window where Oliver's currently were. All Oliver wanted to do was to soothe her worries and reassure her—he was hoping the look he was giving her conveyed all the comfort and support she needed. He didn't waste any more time and continued trying to break the window. It wouldn't budge. Oliver then moved to the windshield and tried to break it or peel it off, but to no avail. He mentally cursed at his failed attempts.

Felicity watched as Oliver struggled to save her from this watery grave. Her lungs were burning and she could feel the end was near. As Oliver tried to break the driver side window, he noticed Damien's grave appearance—his eyes were eerily open and glazed over, and his body floated, only held down by the seatbelt. A chill ran through Oliver's body at the grim future that awaited Felicity if he failed in saving her. He looked over at her and noticed her waving him over to her side of the car. He swam over and placed his hands on the window. Felicity did the same, but there was something in her eyes that worried him. It was the look of acceptance.

No, this was not happening. Oliver refused to let her give up. But it wasn't Felicity giving up, it was her body. It was failing her. She looked lovingly into his eyes and mouthed,

"I'm sorry. I love you."

Oliver shook his head and banged on the window as hard as he could and yelled,

"Fight!" into the cold water.

Felicity's eyes quickly sparked with determination, but her body couldn't fight anymore. Suddenly, her hands fell away from the window and gripped her throat at the sudden intake of water that was flooding her lungs. Her coughs racked her entire body in her seat. She was dying. Oliver was watching the love of his life die.

He could not watch this—it was killing him. He looked desperately around to find an entrance into the car. He eyed the top of the Porsche and decided that tearing off the cover would be the only way to save Felicity. He dashed to the top and began pulling on the edge of the cover with all the strength he possessed. His lungs were burning and his body was numb, but all he could focus on was the woman trapped inside. After what felt like hours, Oliver finally ripped half of the cover from the Porsche, enough for him to swim inside to Felicity.

When he reached her, his heart stopped. She had taken on the appearance of her father. Her beautiful eyes had lost their sparkle and her ring glimmered on her motionless hand in front of her. Oliver punched the dashboard out of anger and despair. He then ripped the seatbelt that was holding Felicity and took her into his arms. He swam to the surface and left the Porsche they had once rode off into the sunset in down at the bottom of the bay.

When he reached the surface, he was pelted by the heavy rains that had not stopped while he was underwater. He frantically swam to shore, holding Felicity tightly in his arms.

"Just hold on, Felicity! Hold on for me," was the mantra he kept repeating to her as he swam.

As soon as the water was shallow enough for him to stand he began to run to solid ground. He briefly acknowledged the fact that Diggle and Speedy were standing on the shore wildly waving their arms. He also noticed what seemed like all of A.R.G.U.S. flooding the pier with weapons and spotlights. Oliver crashed onto land and laid Felicity gently down on the ground.

"Dear God. Felicity!" Diggle exclaimed.

"CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Oliver ordered before turning all of his attention to his fiancée. He tore off his jacket and wrapped it tightly around the still bleeding bullet wound in her thigh. Then he checked for a pulse and if she was breathing. He found nothing.

"Come on, Felicity! Come back to me, please!" Oliver desperately roared.

He began CPR. Felicity's body jolted up and down with each compression, but she remained unconscious.

"Breathe, Felicity! Breathe!" Oliver gave her two long breaths. Nothing happened.

Diggle rejoined them after calling for help. He said they would be here in five minutes, but knew his words were lost on his companions. He looked on helplessly as Oliver pounded Felicity's chest.

"Don't do this to me, Felicity! Do not leave me! Please, please just breathe and open your eyes," Oliver begged. There were tears streaming down his cheeks. He gave her two more long breaths and rested his forehead against hers.

"Fight for me. Fight for us. Just come back to me," Oliver whispered.

Felicity made no sign of improvement. Oliver let out a strangled cry and began compressions again, even harder this time. He felt Thea's small hands on his shoulders, providing him with strength. As he looked at Felicity, his mind began to race with small snippets from their past.

 _If you're not leaving, I'm not leaving._

Compression. Compression.

 _You deserve someone better._

Compression. Compression.

 _I'll come back. Promise me?_

Compression. Compression.

 _How do I look? Like a hero._

Compression. Compression.

 _You are not done fighting. You are not alone, and I believe in you._

Compression. Compression.

 _Say you never loved me. Don't ask me to say that I don't love you._

Compression. Compression.

 _I don't think you do this so that people can say 'thank you.'_

Compression. Compression.

 _You're always saying you want me to be happy, well the thing is, as long as you're in my life I am._

Compression. Compression.

 _You're the man that I believe in._

Breath. Breath.

 _You have changed so many peoples' lives for the better, including mine._

Compression. Compression.

 _I love you._

Compression. Compression.

 _Fight to live._

Compression. Compression.

 _Fight to live_.

"Fight to live, Felicity!" Oliver tearfully begged her. He was running out of energy and pleaded with her and whatever forces above that could bring her back to him.

Then, by some miracle, her hand twitched. Oliver gave her a long breath before starting compressions once more. Finally, Felicity's body violently shook as she coughed water from her lungs.

"Felicity! Hey, hey, it's okay. It's okay. I'm here," Oliver soothed her as he stroked her hair. She looked at him with clouded eyes.

"Oliver?" Felicity croaked. And then her eyes fluttered shut and her body went limp again.

"Felicity?! No no no no no, hey! Open your eyes!" Oliver cradled her head in his hands.

Three EMTs had arrived on the scene and approached Oliver,

"Sir, sir, we need you to move out of the way so we can do our job. Please just give us some space."

Diggle and Thea had to pull Oliver away from Felicity as they watched the men load her onto a stretcher.

"Ollie, she's gonna be fine. You saved her, you brought her back. She's probably just weak from this whole ordeal," Thea tried to reassure her brother as she hugged him.

Diggle slapped a hand onto his shoulder, "Hey man, you should get yourself checked out too. You're not looking very good." Oliver was so focused on Felicity that he hadn't even noticed the bluish discoloration of his skin and the pain in his chest.

"I'm fine," he muttered, "I just need to be with her." But as he began to walk towards the ambulance, the world began to spin and he fell to his knees. The last thing he saw was Felicity being loaded into the ambulance.


	4. Chapter 4

_The ballroom was sparkling with candlelit chandeliers. People were dressed in the very best dresses and tuxedos—but no one looked as gorgeous as Felicity. Her lace gown took the crowd's breath away, especially Oliver's. Their ceremony was simple, but perfect for the two of them. They vowed their undying love and devotion to each other for the rest of their lives in front of all of their loved ones. Felicity reluctantly allowed Donna, with the help of Thea, to plan their wedding reception. They were allowed to make it as large and glamorous as they wanted—but there was one rule: no "first dance" for the happy couple. Felicity knew how much Oliver hated dancing and she didn't want to start their lives forcing him to do something he despised._

 _Felicity was in the middle of talking to Lyla and playing with Sara when the DJ suddenly announced,_

 _"If I could have everyone turn their attention to the dance floor, it is time for the newlywed couple's first dance."_

 _Felicity's eyes widened and her face turned red. She immediately caught her mother's eyes from across the room and glared at her-How could she go against the only wish Felicity had for this reception? However, Felicity was distracted by a tap on her shoulder. She spun around and found Oliver smiling, offering his hand to her._

 _"I think that's our cue. May I have this dance?" Oliver softly questioned._

 _"Oliver, you don't have to do this. I specifically told them that we didn't need a dance because I know you have made it clear how much you don't dance." Felicity tried to reassure him._

 _Oliver reached for her hand and pulled her close._

 _"This was my idea, actually. Thea helped me find the perfect song."_

 _Felicity was shocked—this was definitely a pleasant surprise. She allowed Oliver to lead her to the dance floor. The music began and they slowly swayed in each other's embrace. Felicity didn't even notice the tears that started falling down her face when she listened to words of the song he chose._

I don't dance, But here I am  
Spinning you around and around in circles  
It Ain't my style, but I don't care  
I'd do anything with you anywhere  
Yes, you got me in the palm of your hand  
Cause, I don't dance

Love's never come my way,  
I've never been this far  
Cause you took these two left feet  
And waltzed away with my heart

 _Oliver spun Felicity around the ballroom with such grace and reverence—as if he was handling the most precious person in the world. Thea's dance lessons definitely paid off. When the music had slowed and they remained swaying, Felicity whispered into his ear,_

 _"I never took you for a country fan."_

 _Oliver chuckled, "I was in the car with Thea and this song came on. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was the right one for this moment."_

 _"You didn't have to do this, Oliver. But I am so unbelievably glad that you did."_

 _He pulled away enough to look into Felicity's eyes, "When Diggle and Lyla got married, I stood and watched them dance together. It was in that moment that I promised myself that one day you and I would do the same."_

 _Felicity just stared at the man in front of her, taking him all in. She remembered that moment—she had also watched Diggle and Lyla dance, and wished that she and Oliver could have that happiness. However, at the time she didn't think it was even possible. She couldn't have been more wrong._

 _She leaned in and kissed Oliver with all the love she possessed for him. He returned every ounce of that love. When they slowly pulled away, Oliver rested his forehead on hers and softly said,_

 _"Wake up, please."_

 _Felicity looked at him with confusion._

 _"You need to wake up, Felicity." He repeated._

Felicity gasped and awoke in a plain, white hospital room. Her leg was wrapped in so many bandages that she could barely move it—which was probably for the best considering the amount of pain she was in from jolting awake. Her entire torso ached as if someone had used her as their personal punching bag. She reached to touch her face and she found that her cheek was swollen. Felicity looked around the room and found her mom sitting in a chair in the corner.

"Mom? Mom!" Felicity croaked, surprised by the dryness in her throat.

Donna jumped out of the chair in shock.

"Felicity?! Oh my god, sweetheart, you're awake!" She ran and hugged her daughter, until Felicity winced.

"Oh I'm sorry! I didn't mean to squeeze so tight, but I am just over the moon that you came back to me."

Felicity looked at her mom with confused eyes, "Mom, what happened?"

"You don't remember?" Donna's face grew concerned.

Felicity shook her head.

"Honey, you were taken by your father. Oliver found you, but not before Damien drove your car into the bay."

Images began to flash through Felicity's mind. The rain. Damien's hold on her. The sound of gunshots. The Porsche. Coldness. The weight on her lungs. Oliver's panicked face. Oliver.

"Where's Oliver?" Felicity demanded.

Donna's eyes immediately flashed away from her daughters'. A panic spread through Felicity's chest.

"MOM. WHERE IS OLVER?" She asked with more force, "Please tell me he's okay."

Donna grabbed Felicity's hand. "He's here, in the hospital."

"In the waiting room or cafeteria?" Felicity nervously asked.

"No…honey, he's a patient."

Felicity was in sheer panic mode now. She threw questions at her mom about why and what condition he was in, all while trying to get up from her bed to see him.

"Felicity, Felicity! The doctors said you are not supposed to be moving. Lay down, please, lay down!" Donna struggled to overcome her daughter's determination.

"What's going on in here?" Diggle appeared in the doorway after hearing the commotion from the hallway. "Felicity, you're awake!"

"John! Oh thank God, John. Please, please tell what is going on with Oliver and help me go see him." Felicity begged.

Diggle approached the bed and gently laid her back, keeping his large hands on her shoulders.

"I will tell you everything I promise, just please calm down for me."

Felicity reluctantly relaxed under his grip and took a few deep breaths.

"Thank you, that's much better." Diggle bent down and kissed the crown of her head, "It's really good to see you awake. You really had me scared there for a while."

Felicity was surprised by the rare fear that was in Diggle's eyes. Her situation must have been dire.

"It's good to see you, Dig." She held his hand, "What is wrong with Oliver?"

Diggle took a deep breath and sat in a chair beside her.

"After he got you breathing again, Oliver collapsed. We had all been so focused on your condition, that none of us really noticed the blue tint of his skin or his heavy breathing."

"Oh God," Felicity whimpered.

"His heartbeat was irregular and the EMTs rushed him in here. The doctors told me that he had put an incredible amount of stress on his heart and lungs by staying underwater for so long. They also were treating him for severe hypothermia, just like you."

Felicity wiped the tears that had escaped her eyes, "But he's going to be okay, right? I mean they are treating him, just like they treated me. I'm awake now, so he should be too?"

Diggle squeezed her hand, "They were able to stabilize his heartbeat and breathing. But he still hasn't woken up. I just came from his room and the doctor said it was unclear when he would regain consciousness."

A sob escaped Felicity. This couldn't be happening. Oliver had saved her and harmed himself by doing so. It was her worst nightmare. She never wanted to be the cause of Oliver's pain. She would have rather died than be the reason he might not wake again. She took a deep breath.

"I need to go seen him, Dig."

He shook his head, "Felicity, the doctor was very strict about you not moving. You could pop the stitches in your leg and cause further harm to your bruised ribs from the CPR."

"I don't care. I need to see him." Felicity said with a fire in her eyes. "Now you either help me get into a wheelchair or stand there and watch me do it myself—which would probably end badly."

Diggle sighed, but then smiled at her, "It's good to see that you haven't lost your spark." He moved to help her out of the bed, but Donna stopped him.

"You can't be serious! She just woke up and now you want to risk her health?" She exclaimed.

"Mom, not being with Oliver is going to risk my health and sanity more. The best thing for both of us is to be together." Her eyes begged with her mothers', "Please just go distract the doctor like you do best."

Her mother sighed and left the room to unleash her Vegas charm on a certain doctor.

Diggle had scooped up Felicity and gently placed her in a wheelchair.

"How are you feeling? Honestly." Dig questioned.

Felicity bit her lip. "Sore. Definitely sore. But I can handle it, I promise."

With that, Diggle carefully wheeled Felicity through the halls of the hospital, escaping the notice of her doctor and nurses. When they reached Oliver's room, Thea nearly screeched.

"FELICITY? You're awake! Oh my god! I am so happy to see you. Wait, should you be out of your hospital bed? Dig, what's going on?" Thea rambled all at once.

Felicity was too distracted by the motionless man in the bed behind Thea to respond to her questions. Thea noticed where Felicity's attention was, and gently took the wheelchair from Dig and placed Felicity right beside his bed.

"I kept telling Ollie that you were okay and you would come back to him. I figured it was the strongest incentive for him to open his eyes," Thea whispered.

Felicity smiled and took his hand into hers. Her hand was always so much smaller than his.

"I'll give you some time with him and keep an eye on the door for any nosey nurses."

"Thank you, Thea," Felicity quietly responded.

Felicity took in Oliver's appearance. The blue tint that Diggle had mentioned must have faded because he was back to his usual color—just a tad paler. If Felicity willed herself hard enough, she could have pretended like he was just sleeping. But there was such a stark contrast between this bed and the man she loved. Oliver was her hero—he was always so strong, always moving. Sometimes she liked to believe he was invincible. But now he was lying in this bed—a bed meant for people who are weak and injured. A tear fell from her eye onto their adjoined hands.

"Hey you. Thea wasn't lying when she said I would come back to you. I would do anything for you." She kissed his hand.

"Thank you for saving me. You just can't help being a hero." She tried to laugh a little, but failed.

"Oliver, you have to open your eyes, okay? You have to come back to me. After the mountain, I wasn't there to will you to fight, to survive. But, I'm here now. You have been through so much…there is no way that you can't get through this. You have so much to live for; our future hasn't even started yet. Please, just wake up." Felicity reached over and cupped his face with her hand.

"I love you. Please, fight to live."

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We are nearing the end. One final chapter to go. The song was "I don't dance" by Lee Brice. Please enjoy! Review! :)


	5. Chapter 5

_Steady rain hit off the clustered black umbrellas in the cemetery. Dirt was thrown into the grave, one person after another. Red roses were laid onto the fresh grave. Tears were shed and quiet sobs echoed through the rain. People finished their goodbyes and silently paraded into black cars that awaited them. Everyone had gone, except Oliver._

 _He stood staring at the gravestone in disbelief. How could he have let this happen? He was able to save countless people in his city, strangers. But he wasn't able to save his own fiancée._

 _"Felicity," He quietly choked on a sob. He said her name like a prayer._

 _He had been too late. He couldn't breathe life back into her. He couldn't get her big heart to start beating again. He almost killed himself trying. Thea and Dig had to pull him off of her. After he collapsed and awoke in the hospital, he was hit by the horrifying truth all over again. He was hysterical. Despite his sister's efforts to comfort him, she didn't understand that the moment Felicity died, he also died. Everything else that occurred after was just a blur. Funeral plans, condolences, the eulogies: everything past by him like a dream, until this moment, when he could be alone with her._

 _"I'm so sorry." They were the only words he could find._

 _He stood in the rain, not able to think of what could possibly come next. Every single future that he had thought of or planned included Felicity. There was no future without her._

 _Suddenly, he felt a presence beside him. He looked over, but found no one there. Then he felt as if someone was holding his hand. She was here with him. He couldn't explain how, but he felt her surrounding him._

 _"We weren't supposed to say goodbye." He spoke into the air._

 _There was only silence._

 _In the distance, a small girl appeared. She smiled and waved at Oliver. He was very confused—why was there a child alone in a cemetery on such a rainy day? He hesitantly waved at the girl and she skipped closer to him. As she approached, Oliver's breath was taken away by her appearance. She had golden brown hair and the greenest eyes with just a hint of blue in them. Felicity's eyes. She took a step closer and gave Oliver the most empathetic look._

 _"Are you okay? You have sad face."_

 _Oliver stood silent. There was something so strangely familiar about this girl: the way she looked at him, the way she cared for his well-being. Finally he gave her a small watery smile and replied,_

 _"I lost someone very dear to me. She was my best friend."_

 _The little girl came to stand beside him in front of the gravestone. "Fe-li-city. That's a very pretty name."_

 _A smile grew on his face, "The prettiest."_

 _He was surprised when she took his hand into her tiny one. "I'm sorry you lost her. But she'll never really be gone. She's just in the clouds now, looking down on you."_

 _A tear fell from Oliver's eye. He got down on one knee to be at the girl's level._

 _"You're right, thank you for reminding me." She gave him a wide smile. "Where is your family? Are you lost?"_

 _The girl gave him an odd look of confusion. "I'm not lost at all. I'm right where I'm supposed to be."_

 _It was Oliver's turn to be confused. This girl had showed up right when he doubted any possible future that he might have without the woman he loved. Everything about her reminded him of Felicity._

 _"She would want you to wake up," the girl softly said._

 _Oliver shook his head. "I'm not sure I understand, Sweetie. I am awake."_

 _"No. You have to wake up, please. Wake up for me." She enveloped his neck with her small arms. Her scent was that of vanilla and fresh violet—Felicity's perfume. "Please, just wake up. We need you."_

Oliver jumped up in the hospital bed, "Felicity!"

He felt a hand tighten in his while another cupped his left cheek. He turned to see the most beautiful sight in the world—Felicity.

"Hey! Oliver, hey, shhh it's okay. I'm right here," She reassured.

He sat up further in the bed, despite the twinge of pain in his chest. His hands cupped her face while his eyes searched her body—taking in her presence, including her injuries.

"You're here. You're really here. I thought…I thought I lost you," His voice was pained.

She smiled and covered his hands with her own. "You and me both. I was so terrified that you would never wake up and show me those memorizing blue eyes again."

He finally let himself smile, until he realized she was in a wheelchair due to her bandaged leg.

"Felicity, why aren't you laying down? You nearly died and should be resting. The doctors let you leave your room?" He was in full protective mode.

"Well, they didn't exactly 'let' me do anything. Dig helped me come see you."

Oliver gave her a pointed look. "As much as I love you for being rebellious in order to sit by my bedside, I would love it even more if you were healed, and healing means rest."

Felicity rolled her eyes, "Only awake for two minutes and you're already giving me orders."

"If it means keeping you alive and well, then yes always," He cupped her chin with his hand. "You scared the hell out of me. I can't ever lose you, Felicity."

She gave him a comforting smile. "You won't. I promise I will always fight to come back to you." Felicity then wiggled her ring finger in the air. "Besides, I think this sparkly thing means you're stuck with me. Forever."

Oliver chuckled, "Forever. Now we just need to lay low until we actually make it down the aisle."

They laughed in unison and kissed. However, Felicity winced and leaned over a bit in her chair. Oliver immediately noticed and braced her with his hands.

"Okay you little escapee, how about we get you back to your bed?" He slowly climbed out of the bed, debating if he was strong enough to take her there himself. He seemed steady enough on his feet and slowly wheeled her down the hall. They ran into Dig, Thea, and Donna on the way. All of their excitement to see the two of them both awake and together did little to hide them from the doctors. After being scolded like children to try and follow doctor's orders, as it was in their best interest, they were finally left alone in Felicity's room. Luckily, no damage was caused by her adventure.

Once Oliver settled himself comfortably into a chair beside Felicity's bed, he looked over to see her staring at the wall behind him—lost in her own thoughts. He ran his finger down her arm.

"Hey, where'd you go?"

Her eyes trailed to meet his. Her voice trembled, "I've been awake for almost an entire day and I haven't even asked about him."

"About who?" Oliver confusedly asked.

"My father."

Oliver looked down. The image of her deceased father was seared into his memory. She grabbed his hand.

"Is he dead? Did you see him?" She whispered.

Oliver simply nodded. "I'm sorry."

Felicity scoffed, "I mean there's no need to apologize; he did it to himself. He tried to take me with him—his own daughter. It's not like he even comes close to winning 'father of the year' award or even being capable of love—"

"Hey," Oliver stopped her rant, "I understand your anger, but it's okay to be sad, Felicity. No matter the kind of man he was, he was still your father. You wouldn't be you if you didn't try and see the good in him."

She wiped away a tear that had escaped.

"It's just…ever since he left me, I always thought that he would come back someday, and he would do all the things a father does for his daughter—including walk her down the aisle and share a dance at the wedding reception." She shook her head, "It's stupid."

"Felicity, it is anything but stupid. Everyone imagines their family being there for the most important moments in life." Oliver paused to think of all the loved ones that wouldn't be able to stand by him while he married this beautiful woman. "And I am so sorry that he won't be there for our wedding. But I promise, Felicity, you will have so many other people surrounding you who love you."

A smile found its way onto her face.

"People who love me more than he ever did—those are the people I want to share our day with."

Oliver agreed and kissed her hand.

Felicity cleared her throat, "Speaking of our day, I had the most vivid dream while I was unconscious."

"Oh yea?" This sparked Oliver's interest.

"Yep! You surprised me with a first dance." She searched his face, gauging his reaction.

He looked away and chuckled, "That is definitely some dream."

Felicity looked away; clearly he had burst her bubble. Oliver reached over and gently stroked some hair behind her ear.

"I'm kidding, Felicity. I just…didn't want the surprise to be ruined."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Surprise?"

Oliver sighed. "Ever since Diggle and Lyla's wedding, I had promised myself that I would give you the perfect first dance. We deserve to be as happy as they were in that moment."

Felicity sat speechless. She had secretly hoped that he would feel the same way as he had in the dream, but never thought that he actually would.

"I just have to try and find the right song." Oliver continued.

"I think you'll be surprised by what country has to offer," she giggled.

Oliver cocked his head to the side in confusion, but figured he should just take her advice based on the dream she had.

"So what about you? Any dreams while you were sleeping beauty?" Felicity playfully asked.

Oliver's mood instantly sobered and he looked up to the ceiling. "Not really."

She could tell he was holding something back. "Hey, you can tell me." She quietly offered as she grabbed his hand for support.

He took a deep breath. "I didn't get to you in time. I couldn't bring you back. So I was standing in the cemetery." He took a moment to look at her to remind himself that she was still there with him. "Then a little girl came and tried to comfort me. She told me to wake up. Her eyes…" Oliver's voice trailed off.

Felicity's heart ached for him. "Did you recognize the girl?"

"No, I had never met her before in my life. But…everything about her reminded me of you. She had your eyes, and your big heart." He paused and suddenly remembered, "I never got a chance to ask her what her name was."

Oliver looked up at Felicity and found her giving him the warmest smile.

"I have a feeling you'll find out what it is someday."

Eight months later, Oliver and Felicity were married in the gardens of the old Queen mansion. Rows and rows of white chairs adorned with emerald green bows filled the courtyard. Oliver stood in the gazebo by the lake, anxiously awaiting his bride's entrance through the terrace. Felicity appeared amongst the dozens of roses wearing a sparkling white, lace dress. Donna happily walked her daughter down the aisle and gave her away to a memorized Oliver. Thea and Diggle stood on either side of the couple, providing all the support and love they could offer as siblings to both Oliver and Felicity.

 _Felicity, I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of my life. No matter what awaits us in the future, I will always be by your side and you will always be the light inside of my heart._

 _Oliver, I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of my life. I will always be there to remind you of the man you are to me, the man I have always and will always believe in with all that I am._

 _I do._

 _I do._

Oliver cupped either side of Felicity's face and kissed her with all the passion, adoration, and love he felt for her. Her hands found their way to the back of his neck and into his hair. They pulled away breathless and were met with the cheers from their loved ones.

"Finally!" Diggle exclaimed.

The newlyweds walked down the aisle hand-in-hand, under the shower of petals thrown by their guests. It was the start of their new beginning, together.

All of the guests had followed Oliver and Felicity into the mansion for the reception.

The only person left in the courtyard was a man sitting in the last row of chairs-unseen by everyone.

He wore a distinct black eye-patch and a devilish grin.

THE END.

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And there it is! Thank you to everyone who has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed this story! Please tell me what you thought of it all! Until next time...


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